The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice in the United States.

• Author: al-Heraki, Heba

The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice in the United States

Edited by James McGann

Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, 212 pages, [euro]29.99, ISBN: 9783030603854

Think tanks can be envisioned as the middle way between strictly intellectual spheres like academia and overly politicized arenas such as advocacy and activism movements. Considering the importance of these institutions, specifically those based in the U.S., The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice in the United States focuses on think tanks' history, role, and prospects. Contributors to the volume include multiple think tank experts and administrators; the editor, James McGann, authors the introduction, the literature review, and the conclusion. The first three chapters are written by former think tank presidents, and the remaining 21 chapters are authored by current presidents. With only 26 pages of the book covered by the first three chapters, the overwhelmingly larger bulk of the book is presented through the lenses of current think-tank experts and administrators.

The first three chapters lay out the historical perspective on think tanks and provide an anecdotal and general account of their development. Beneficial advice on how to start not just a think tank but virtually any similar project or businesses is presented. The chapters written by current presidents offer relevant and specific insights into the world of think tanks in the U.S. and discuss several key themes and their impact on think tanks, such as the changing global order, technological advancements, the need for more diversification in the sector, the dangers of polarization and politicization, the challenge of maintaining objectivity as funds become politicized, post-modernism and the place of truth. The dominant questions of the book remain consistent across the various chapters.

As for what these themes represent and why they are relevant, we need to understand the purpose(s) of think tanks first. As John Hamre emphasizes in his chapter, "Think Tanks in the New Century," although "[t]here is no standard model or template for think tanks," still, "all of them share a common purpose" (p. 104). Hamre goes on to say that this common purpose boils down to the fact that think tanks should work on "general interest" rather than "particular matters," which mainly means that they should focus on matters of interest to the general public instead of for-profit studies that are of importance to a specific company...